AGRICULTURAL MECHANICS AND RURAL ECONOMY. 



131 



Improvements in Gates. 



The accompanying engraving is a perspective view of an improved farm-gate, for which a 

 patent was recently granted to Henry B. Lumm, of Sandusky, Ohio. This gate is so con- 

 structed and arranged, that it may be opened or closed by a person in a carriage or on horse- 

 back. 



D D are the two posts of the gate ; they are hollow, and have an opening near the cap, in 

 each, in which is secured a grooved pulley e e; //are cords or chains secured to the top of 

 the side bars a a, and passing over the pulleys e e into the hollow posts. To the inner ends 

 of these cords are secured balance-weights, so that when the gate is up or closed, these hold 

 it plumb in position, keeping the gate A closed. This gate has a lower bar C, which is hinged 

 at c e to the sill between the two posts. It therefore folds upwards when closed, and down- 

 wards when open. The gate is formed with the side bars a a, the lower bar C, and top bar 

 B, and strong smaller bars bbb. When folded down, these bars are received in the openings 

 made for them in the road-way d. When the gate is open, therefore, it lies flat between the 

 road-way sleepers 6, which act as fenders, and the carriage drives over it. F F are posts a 

 little distance from the gate on each side ; G G are handles to upright levers, which are con- 

 nected at the middle to two strong crossing wires or iron rods g g, which are secured at one 

 side to a lug i on the lower bar C. The levers turn or vibrate in their sockets ; and by turn- 

 ing the handles G G to the one side or the other, the gate is opened and closed, folded up 

 and let down. 



Operation. — Allowing the gate to be in the position shown, (closed,) and a carriage going 

 forwards from the nigh side to pass through, the driver has but to take hold of the lever G 

 and push it forwards, when the then off wire g will be thrown further back, and draw the gate 

 down flat between the sleepers of the road-way d, and the carriage is allowed to proceed 

 through the gate. When it arrives at the other side, the driver takes hold of the other handle 

 G and draws it to the one side, and thus changes the wires g and raises up the gate, closing 

 it after him. 



